Off Topic Poker Forums

If you haven't heard, eight players were suspended for strategically tanking round-robin badminton matches to improve their draw for the quarterfinals.

The reaction seems to overwhelmingly support the decision, so I thought I'd check in with the DC crowd and see if anyone is willing to defend punishing these athletes for trying to improve their medal chances.

I thought the Olympics were about athletes competing to win medals, not about entertaining spectators and generating revenue? And if an event is poorly designed so that one's medal chances increase if one loses a certain preliminary round match, what idiot wouldn't try to lose that match? An athlete is supposed to pass up a legal (or should be legal) advantage so that he or she can make sure the crowd is getting their money's worth? God forbid the Olympic event tickets aren't worth the exorbitant prices that are charged.

I think it's technically wrong, but the fault lies with the system more so than the competitors, as you said.

This used to happen in Starcraft tournaments where Korean players (who dominated everyone ldo) would tank their last group match if it meant they wouldnt have to meet another Korean until the semis for instance (obviously only something that would happen in international events since generally tournaments would be filled with Korean players otherwise, defeating the point).

So yeah, they need to change the system if this is an issue.

Really goes against the spirit of the Olympic Games imo. That being said, kicking them out doesn't seem right. Not sure what you could do, but some other type of punishment would probably more appropriate. Maybe make them play the next match with their weak hand......

If it is possible to game the system in this way, the system was set up incorrectly. This should lead to changes.

How do they even differentiate between purposely tanking a match, and having an off day?

What if a coach plays his substitutes for a round robin match, so that his starters are fresh for the medal round? Is this allowed?

If it is possible to game the system in this way, the system was set up incorrectly. This should lead to changes.

Yeah I agree with this. The incentives here are most definitely to lose the match, not to win it. In some ways I feel as though the players trying to lose the match to improve their chances of a gold medal are competing as hard as they can so I'm not sure I agree about a ban.

If Usain Bolt runs slower than he's capable of in a preliminary race, and finishes less than first, so that he saves his energy for the finals, should he be penalized?

If it is possible to game the system in this way, the system was set up incorrectly. This should lead to changes.

Totally this. All of this spirit of the games stuff is complete bullshit. The object of the game is to WIN, and these people maximized their chance of winning by doing what they did. The only people who should be kicked out are the morons who set the tournament up this way.

It seems like the easiest way to win a medal, a smart plan imo. On the other hand I dont know the history or customs within high level badminton. It may be an etiquette thing (like there are for poker and golf)

I just asked my brother who has played at a pretty high level. He says it happens at his badminton tournaments all the time. It is in the rules that you cannot throw the match. The thing that has historically stopped it from happening is that it is tough to judge a match being thrown.

The only people who should be kicked out are the morons who set the tournament up this way.

Wasn't it just a round robin into seeded brackets system? Seems like a pretty standard system, obviously it's not perfect (causes situations like this) but none of the systems are (knockout early on in the tournament increases variance, etc).

who cares about badminton anywayz...

Wasn't it just a round robin into seeded brackets system? Seems like a pretty standard system, obviously it's not perfect (causes situations like this) but none of the systems are (knockout early on in the tournament increases variance, etc).

increasing variance seems far superior to encouraging tanking (if that matters to you).

eta: I should say that the people who made the system are morons only for not thinking that this would happen/being mad when it did. the format in and of itself is fine.

Wait, how the hell is badminton an Olympic sport?

If it is possible to game the system in this way, the system was set up incorrectly. This should lead to changes.

Yea, absolutely this.

Are there rules in the Olympics that say you have to play your 100% hardest at all times? I can understand throwing a match because of being bribed to do so and being kicked out for that, but these players were being strategic in their decisions with the ultimate goal of positioning themselves as favorably as possible to win the overall tournament. I guess if that's clearly against the rules then sure, kick them out, but if it's not they may have been 'unsporting' (I think you can argue this) but did they break any rules?